China mouthpiece claims pre-poll Trump drone strike imminent; warns of heavy retaliation

'Expansionist' China claims virtually entire South China Sea for itself and is pitted against smaller neighbours in multiple territorial disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons. US has been very vocal against China building military bases on artificial islands in region. tensions over two countries have worsened over this issue among many ors. In recent months, US has stepped up its naval presence in South China Sea, vowing to protect navigation freedom.

'PLA will definitely fight back fiercely'

On Monday, Hu Xijin, editor of Chinese Communist Party's mouthpiece Global Times said that if America starts a war in South China Sea, it will pay "a heavy price." Taking to Twitter, Chinese Stooge said that based on information he had learned, "Trump govt could take risk to attack China’s islands in South China Sea with MQ-9 Reaper drones to aid his reelection campaign".

Threatening America, he went on to say, " If it happens, PLA will definitely fight back fiercely and let those who start war pay a heavy price."

United States on Sunday said that China is using its militarised outposts in South China Sea as platforms of coercion to assert control over waters it has lawful claim over and demanded President Xi Jinping to hour his commitment that se maritime constructions "would t target or impact any country". Beijing claims almost all of 1.3 million square-mile South China Sea as its sovereign territory. 

Beijing has impeded commercial activity like fishing and mineral exploration by neighbouring nations in recent years, saying ownership of resource-rich maritime territory belongs to China for hundreds of years.

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Global pushback against China

US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus on Sunday said five years ago on September 25, 2015, Chinese President, standing in White House Rose Garden, promised ''China does t intend to pursue militarization'' of Spratly Islands, and China''s outposts ''would t target or impact any country''. In recent months, re has been an unprecedented number of states expressing ir formal opposition at United Nations to China's unlawful maritime claims in South China Sea, she said.

Earlier this month, an Indonesian patrol ship confronted a Chinese coast guard vessel that spent almost three days in waters where Indonesia claims ecomic rights and are near sournmost part of China's disputed South China Sea claims. Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam have also engd in push-back against Chinese claims and actions in area, while progress in talks between Association of Souast Asian Nations and China over South China Sea appear at a standstill.

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